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Hackers Assault Epilepsy Patients via Computer

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Re: Hackers Assault Epilepsy Patients via Computer

#5

Post by xirium »

abstractbill wrote: post #3

I wonder how hard it would be to get a web browser to recognize and block these attacks. Are the patterns very formulaic?

There is a standard gadget, the Harding FPA Machine, to check television adverts for likelihood of triggering epilepsy. Apparently, it wasn't used to check London 2012 Olympic publicity material ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2007/06/05/2012... ).

Re: Hackers Assault Epilepsy Patients via Computer

#6

Post by jfalk »

brett wrote: post #4

I was hoping that wasn't going to be as despicable as the title sounded. That's really upsetting.

Yea, me too. I mean, while I'm not part of the hacker culture, I always understood the point of it was more for recognition than actually hurting anyone. This very much goes against that.

Re: Hackers Assault Epilepsy Patients via Computer

#7

Post by philippp »

jfalk wrote: post #6
brett wrote: post #4

I was hoping that wasn't going to be as despicable as the title sounded. That's really upsetting.

Yea, me too. I mean, while I'm not part of the hacker culture, I always understood the point of it was more for recognition than actually hurting anyone. This very much goes against that.

AFAIK "Hacking" is the creative implementation of any technology to do something it wasn't designed to do.

Cracking and griefing regrettably fall under that umbrella as well, as do physical assaults perpetrated with technology.

Re: Hackers Assault Epilepsy Patients via Computer

#8

Post by startingup »

This raises another question: how long are we going to fight the losing battle of reclaiming the word "hacker" from its current shady connotation? After reading news like this, I would be really ashamed to call myself a "hacker".

Note that I am making a purely linguistic point here. The popular culture has pretty well defined the word already .... think about explaining to your non-technical friend that you were reading about the epilepsy episode in Hacker News!

This reminds me of another word, "liberal", which in America means someone who advocates what would be classically considered illiberal economics (government intervention in the economy, protectionism and so on). The Economist still refuses to accept the American hijacking of a fine word, but somehow I don't believe a Ron Paul would ever want to be called a "liberal", which he actually is in the classical sense.

As a counter-example, J.K. Rowling seems to have bestowed a different meaning to the word "witch", equating it with "wizard". And then I realize PG was originally a Brit, so may be the Brits can "take English back" :-)

Re: Hackers Assault Epilepsy Patients via Computer

#9

Post by tomjen »

philippp wrote: post #7
jfalk wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yea, me too. I mean, while I'm not part of the hacker culture, I always understood the point of it was more for recognition than actually hurting anyone. This very much goes against that.

AFAIK "Hacking" is the creative implementation of any technology to do something it wasn't designed to do. Cracking and griefing regrettably fall under that umbrella as well, as do physical assaults perpetrated with technology.

Definition of creative (ditionary.com):

>1. having the quality or power of creating. >2. resulting from originality of thought, expression, etc.; imaginative: creative writing. >3. originative; productive (usually fol. by of).

Adding blinking gifs to a homepage does not create anything, it does not result from any originality of thought nor is is productive so I would argue that it is not hacking.

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